Opportunities for graduates with Australian degrees in USA

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As an Australian, I would say a good test of a university's reputation in the US is who it associates with. What I mean is, U.S. institutions don't just let anyone into their exchange programs.

So, who are the good Australian universities partnered with? (notes, or courses where the exchange applies, in brackets)

ANU: University of Pennsylvania (Ivy League), UC system, UNC system, Texas at Austin, also Oxford University (Australia's only partnership here)

Melbourne: Boston College, Carnegie Mellon (for eng, science), Cornell (Ivy), Duke (Law), Georgetown, NYU (Commerce), UC system, Michigan, UNC, Penn (Ivy), USC (Commerce), Texas at Austin, UVA, Washington U @ St. Louis (Commerce)

Sydney: Boston U, Cornell (Ivy), Duke (Law and business), NYU (Law), Purdue, George Washington, UC system, Penn (Ivy), Texas at Austin

Monash: Boston College, Purdue, UC system

That's just a sample. I would say that a degree from any of the Group of Eight will be respected in the US. These names aren't going to jump off the page for an adcom, but as with anything in the US, these schools won't hold a talented applicant back.

I would also point out a less well known option, but a very good one for international students. Bond University is Australia's only private university, and has about 3000 students with up to 50% international when study abroad numbers are at their peak. The university has been highly rated, with Australia's best graduate salaries, and even in the few decades of operation has a Rhodes Scholar and Ivy League graduate admits. If we use the international partnerships test, then it has connections to Duke and Northwestern in the US, both top 10 schools.

Reply 41

bally

Harro5

UNSW also has connections with Duke, UC, UPenn, ICL, KCL, UCL and many others. I think reputation is different to just connections with exchange though.

Reply 42

Harro5

bally

I think reputation is different to just connections with exchange though.

Oh, of course, but I think it bears mentioning. The question, way back in the OP, was whether these Australian degrees would be recognised by U.S. institutions. Essentially, you're going to be viewed aloongside all other international students; to stand out (aside from having proven English skills as compared to most European or Asian uni grads) you have to be a good individual. People put way too much weight on rankings for international schools.

I would guess that the US grad schools' adcoms are going to know the top tier U.K. schools, most Canadian schools, and the big global brands (Sorbonne, Beijing University, etc.). Other than that, you can point to exchange as an indication of a university's reputation. Again, I believe that an institution won't just let anyone associate with them.

For example, the OP is going to Swinburne. It's a decent uni, but by no means top tier in Australia. Look at its US partners: not too many names there would stand out to an international students.

This is just one way of looking at 'prestige', but again I believe that your undergrad's reputation isn't going to be make/break for an international unless the name jumps off the page.

Reply 43

yeung3939

Sorry,

What makes ANU a bad place for undergraduate? Is it considered inferior to U sydney and U melbourne? Is Australian universities considered inferior to UK and US unis?

Thank you!

Reply 44

bally

Nothing bad, just that it is in canberra. Canberra is small and unintersting. Im sure its undergrad programs are fine, just not as good as their post grad programs.

Reply 45

Harro5

ANU is really THE place to go in Australia for undergrad studies of politics and international affairs (particularly international law, and Asia with Australia's only Asian Studies department) because of the locality near Parliament and DFAT (foreign affairs department). Of course, these areas usually require advanced studies for research or policy positions. Thus, people prefer a 1/2 year masters to a 4-year undergrad because Canberra is predominantly a public service town.

That said, they are very strong across most subjects and certainly have close to the best international standing of an Australian university.

Reply 46

yeung3939

Thanks. Just a stupid question. Is australian universities generally considered inferior to the UK and US ones? Is it still the case now?

Reply 47

bally

yeung3939

Thanks. Just a stupid question. Is australian universities generally considered inferior to the UK and US ones? Is it still the case now?

Probably since we are a newer nation than the others and one could say that the universities aren't as established as ones in the UK and USA.

Reply 48

Harro5

The difference between Australia's finest universities and the Ivies, LSE and Oxbridge is of course large because these are the world's best institutions. Howver, I would guess that some of the Group of Eight could compete with the University of London (minus LSE), Warwick, and many of the top US schools. The UK and US schools probably have better international reach though, and certainly the US wins for facilities and endowment.

Reply 49

bally

Top 5-10% of some Go8 unis could compete with LSE imo.

Reply 50

Harro5

Students you mean? Sure, good students are good students. But LSE is world-renowned and its alumni far outweighs anything in Australia. Not that I'm ashamed of my homeland, but certainly LSE is above ANU, USyd and Melbourne.